A More Unconventional Method
by kitsunelove4ever
Summary: Dave is the new kid again. John is a nerdy boy with an upset home life and uses a rather unorthodox method of coping. The two meet and stuff goes down. Rated M for language and triggers. Homestuck belongs to the Huss-meister


**A More Unconventional Method**

**A/N: THIS IS GOING TO BE A TRIGGERING STORY. Self-harm and suicidal thoughts will be present throughout the story so please don't read if this is going to trigger you, that's really the last thing that I want. It's going to be kinda similar to My Guardian, where Dave is the new kid and John befriends him and shows him around and stuff, but there are no bullies in this one and dadbert isn't as kind as in the other story.**

**Chapter 1**

John was sitting in his room, sitting against the door with tears rolling down his face. He had just gotten into a big fight with his dad and it had really upset him. His dad had started calling him all sorts of names and blamed a bunch of things that happened to them on him.

He cried for about twenty minutes before standing, shaking as he walked over to his bed and kneeling down. He reached under his bed and pulled out a box with a key lock on it. Pulling the key out of his pocket, he unlocked the box revealing a plethora of individually wrapped razor blades.

John looked at them in a daze, pulling one out and unwrapping it. He pulled his pants down and looked at the scars that already plagued his legs. Normally he would cut on his arms or stomach but those were already covered in recent cuts. He brought the razor to the front of his thigh and cut.

One cut became two. Two became six. Six became twenty and he lost count after that. After he thought the amount was sufficient, he switched legs, cutting the front of that one as well.

After it was all over and done with, he pressed some toilet paper to the cuts to soak up the blood. He pulled his pants back on and went to lie in bed, quickly falling asleep.

"Class I have some exciting news! This is Dave Strider and he is new here at this school after moving with his brother from Texas," the teacher said.

John was sitting in first hour at the back of class like always when the teacher made the announcement. He glanced up at the kid, looking him up and down with a straight face.

He had blond hair with bangs sweeping off to the side. He was tall and lanky with black jeans and grey medium-sleeve shirt with a broken record on the front. He had a pair of black aviator shades on that covered most of his face. In John's opinion, he looked like your average, everyday douche.

John rolled his eyes and looked out the window. He felt a poke at his shoulder and he looked over seeing the new kid standing next to him.

"You Egbert?" He asked, slouching down into his seat.

"Yeah, what of it?"

"Teach said you could show me around, take me to all my classes and what not," Dave said, a slight Texan twang in his voice.

John shrugged, "Yeah sure. Let me see your schedule."

Dave handed him his schedule, waiting. John looked over it, seeing they had a few classes together at the beginning of the day then lunch and P.E at the end of the day.

Wait… P.E? Shit this wasn't good. Before it was fine because his P.E locker was away from where the masses where so he could change without anyone seeing his body. But now, this new kid was probably going to pick a locker by him, see, and ask all sorts of questions…

He would have to figure something out later; right now Dave was prodding him to hurry up.

"Well? What's the diagnosis doc?" He asked.

John looked over at him, handing his schedule back, "We have a few classes together and your other classes are pretty close to each other."

Dave nodded in understanding and turned to the front of the class. John did the same, although he wasn't really paying attention to what the teacher was talking about.

The bell eventually rang and John gathered his stuff, not really bothering to shove it back into his back pack. He could do that in his next class. He looked over his shoulder to see Dave already up and waiting, bag slung over his shoulder.

"Alright let's go," he said, grabbing his bag and heading towards the door.

The day went by slowly, like any other day. Although the presence of someone new was a nice change.

The two had gotten to know each other pretty well during their classes and when they walked through the halls. John learned about Dave's brother and how they would strife all the time, but were still close, and his love for turntables and all kinds of other things.

Of course John was a bit more ambiguous with his answers. He just gave the basics like he lived with his dad, he had an older sister in college, he played piano, etc.

They arrived at the locker room and John pointed Dave in the direction of the coach's office to get his P.E. clothes while he went off to his own locker.

Now, we turn to Dave Strider: New guy and cool kid extraordinaire. He had moved up to Washington with his brother (for some unknown reason that will be disclosed at a later date).

And today, on his first day, he made some pretty cool friends. Well, they were mostly John's friends and then he had met some people in the classes he didn't have with the dorky kid.

When he first met him, he seemed a bit distant and defensive, but after a bit of poking and prodding he was finally able to learn some stuff about him. And he had to say, it was stereotypically adorable.

Back to the present, he had just gotten his P.E uniform and he walked back to the spot where John had his locker. When he arrived, John was already changed. Although, he wore sweats, the uniform short, and a light hoodie.

"Dude, what's with funky uniform?" he asked, picking out a locker and starting to change.

John shrugged, "Well we usually go outside and it's kinda cold so…" he trailed off.

Dave nodded, changing quickly. After wards, the two walked out into the gym and waited for roll call.

Luckily today was an easy day. The teacher just had the class walk the track outside.

"Damn, is class always this easy?" Dave asked, folding his hands behind his head with a small grin.

"Yeah it usually is. The teacher is pretty awesome and almost never makes us do anything to strenuous," John replied as he shoved his hands in his hoodie pockets.

"Heh, guess I lucked out then," He chuckled.

John smiled slightly, "Yeah I guess so."

They made idle chit chat for the whole class, sometimes a few of John's friends would pop up and say hi, introducing themselves.

"Geez, someone's Mr. Popular," Dave joked, nudging him in the arm.

John recoiled slightly, rubbing his arm, "I just know a lot of people. There aren't many I consider good friends."

Dave smirked, nodding. His smile dissipated when he saw a thin red line through John's sweater, "Uh dude, I think you're bleeding. Did I hit a cut or something?"

John looked at his arm, swearing silently, "No, it's cool dude. I um, I gotta go."

He ran over to the teacher, explaining to him what happened and showing him his arm. A few more cuts had reopened and the teacher sent him inside to change and go to the nurse. Luckily the teacher knew about what John did and was supportive.

Dave watched as John made his way inside, a hand on his arm.

_What the hell…?_ He thought as he continued walking.

"So what happened this time?" The nurse asked after she finished bandaging John's arm.

He let out a sigh, "It was dad again. He's pretty much the only trigger in my life right now. I know I shouldn't let him get to me but… It's hard. He used to be so caring and friendly. Now…"

The nurse nodded in understanding, "You know, there is that group that I run that meets every week. Me and one of the other social workers has a group where students can vent and its completely confidential."

"Yeah, I remember you mentioned it last time. I'm just not sure if that kinda thing is for me," He replied, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Tell you what," she started, "Why don't you come to the meeting tomorrow and see if you like it. If you do, I can give you the schedule for the next couple of months."

John thought on it for a second, "That sounds like a good idea. What hour is it tomorrow?"

He wrote the date down in his agenda. The bell rang and he made his way back to the locker room, waiting for Dave out in the hall way. He didn't have to wait too long before the blond appeared.

"Hey," he said, drawing his attention.

"Hey man, what happened?" Dave asked as they started walking.

John shook his head, "Nothing important. Do you need to stop by your locker at all?"

"Nah dude. What about you?" he replied.

"Yeah I just gotta put some books away."

"Gotcha. I'm following you then," he chuckled.

John rolled his eyes, laughing, "Well alright then."

The two walked through the halls. They were busy with students rushing to their lockers or heading out to wait for the buses. John stopped at his locker with Dave leaning on the lockers next to him. He balanced his books precariously in one hand.

John opened his locker, revealing a plethora of magnets on the inside door. He heard Dave laugh.

"Damn dude, what's with all the magnets?"

"What? They show my interests," he countered as he placed his books inside.

Dave looked over the magnets, his eyes stopping on a small rainbow ribbon. He pointed at it before asking, "What's that one for?"

John looked up, "Oh, that one? Well it's a rainbow ribbon. And what are rainbows mostly associated with?"

A little light bulb went off in Dave's head, "So that means that you're…?"

"Yupp."

"I guess that makes two of us then," Dave stated, smirking.

"You too?" John inquired, shutting his locker.

He nodded, smirk still lingering on his face. John nodded in understanding, "Sweet."

They made their way outside silently, lingering by the doors.

"Well, I walk so I guess I'll see ya later," John stated, adjusting his backpack on his shoulder.

"Hey, John," Dave called, "You have a phone?"

"Of course I have a phone," John retorted sassily.

"Them gimme your number so we can chat about ironic things," Dave demanded, pulling his phone from his pocket.

John chuckled pulling his phone out too. They exchanged numbers before John hopped down the stairs, waving good bye to Dave as he made his way down the side walk towards his house.

"I'm home," John called monotonously as he walked inside. The smell of fresh cake and frosting hit him, making him sick.

"In the kitchen," His dad called back.

John let out a deep breath and hesitantly made his way into the kitchen. These days, dadbert only baked when he was upset.

"What's up?" John asked, leaning against the door frame.

Dadbert just 'hmphed', his back towards John, "How was your day, son?"

John shrugged, "There's a new kid at school."

"Is there now…" Dadbert seemed completely uninterested.

This was seriously starting to irritate John. He knew if he said something about it, it wouldn't end well for him but he couldn't stop himself, "You know, you ask me about my day and then you hardly even listen. You don't really care do you?"

Dadbert turned to look at him, "Well, son, not all of us have good days like you."

John balled his fists, "Then why ask me how my day was if you're to freaking worried about your own?"

He didn't even wait for an answer, he turned and went up to his room, closing and locking the door. Anger flowed through him and it wasn't good. Whenever he was angry or upset he cut. And that's exactly what he did. He didn't care that all his usually spots were cut. He cut over them diagonally and vertically.

When it was all over and down, he was lying on the floor, blood dripping from his arms, legs, and stomach, the razor still clutched in his hand. A tired smile grew across his face. He sat up slowly, grabbing a towel from his personal stash, pressing it on the cuts to soak up the blood before cleaning the floor as well.

John snuck out of his room and into the bathroom, grabbing the bandages and going back to his room. He wrapped all the places he cut before throwing on a long sleeved shirt and sweats, curling up in his bed.

His phone vibrated but he was too drained and numb to pick it up. He knew who it was, but he wasn't in the mood to talk to anyone right now.

He just wanted to sleep.

**A/N: Well, I hope you guys enjoyed it (in a way). I guess the reason I'm writing this is to kinda mirror my own life. Like a different kind of outlet for when I'm not up to talking with anyone.**


End file.
